A three-hour standoff in El Cajon concluded with the arrest of a 44-year-old man on charges of domestic violence and an existing felony warrant. The City of El Cajon's official news release detailed how the situation unfolded on Sunday at a motel on 1368 E. Main Street, where the police were called to respond to a violent confrontation.
The trouble began when a distress call was made to 9-1-1 by a woman claiming her husband had assaulted and strangled her, and then prevented her from leaving their motel room. This led the responding El Cajon Police officers to evacuate the woman quickly. While the suspect, identified later as Ruben Castro, retreated into the room, barricading himself inside. It was later discovered through the investigation that the man was wanted for multiple violent felonies and for violations regarding sex registration.
Efforts by crisis negotiators to coax Castro into surrendering went unheeded, as he refused communication and remained inside the room, leading to the deployment of El Cajon Police SWAT officers. The use of less-lethal tactics, such as Pepper Ball rounds, initially failed to resolve the standoff.
Ultimately, the police employed a flashbang and additional Pepper Ball rounds, which eventually coerced Castro out of the bathroom. He was taken into custody without incident, according to the news release from the City of El Cajon. Castro was subsequently booked into the San Diego County Jail on multiple charges stemming from the day's events and the outstanding warrant.
